CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jaxton
S
arah has been relentless. Now that I know about the baby, she’s using it as an excuse to push her way back into my life—constant texts, surprise visits, and guilt-laced phone calls at all hours of the night. If it weren’t for the fact that I needed to confirm the paternity, I’d have blocked her number weeks ago. But for now, I have to put up with her bullshit until I have undeniable proof that the kid is or isn’t mine.
And honestly? I hope to God it’s not.
Not because I wouldn’t take responsibility—I would. I don’t run from what’s mine. But because it would mean I’d be tied to her forever, and I want nothing to do with her. The thought of co-parenting with a woman as manipulative as Sarah makes my skin crawl. It’s terrifying to realize I once thought I loved her. How the hell did I ever believe that?
Now that I know what real love feels like, now that I’ve had Avery in my life, I can see just how empty my past with Sarah really was. What I felt for her doesn’t even come close to what I feel for Avery—it never did.
My phone chimes. Again.
I grit my teeth, my fingers flexing around the device as the screen lights up with another message from Sarah. That’s the sixth one in the last ten minutes.
“Jesus, Jax, she ever let up?” Kamden’s voice pulls my attention from the screen. He’s watching me from across the room, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. His sharp gaze flicks to my phone, and I know he’s reading the stress all over my face.
I let out a heavy sigh, raking a hand through my hair. “No. She doesn’t.”
Kamden pushes off the counter, his brows furrowing in concern as he steps closer. “How are you holding up?”
I exhale through my nose, shaking my head. “I’m making it through.” It’s the truth, but not the whole truth. “But I’m not gonna lie—it’s hard. She’s relentless. And the worst part? I have to figure out how the hell I’m supposed to break this to Dan.”
Kamden stiffens, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Shit.”
“Yeah.”
Avery’s father is a good man. A strong man. And he loves his daughter more than anything in the world. I did nothing wrong—I didn’t even know Avery when Sarah and I hooked up at that damn pre-film party—but none of that matters. The second I sit down and tell Dan that our psycho ex is pregnant with my kid, it’s going to feel like I’m telling him I cheated.
And I didn’t.
But that won’t change the fact that it’s going to gut him.
We’ve spent months at his side, searching for Avery, holding each other together. He’s become family, and now I’m about to drop a bomb that’s going to rip another piece of his world apart.
“I don’t even know how to start that conversation,” I admit, rubbing the tension from my neck.
Kamden’s silent for a long moment, then finally speaks. “You tell him the truth. Straight up. No sugarcoating, no dodging. Just be honest, Jax.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. Dan deserves nothing less.
My phone chimes again, and this time, I don’t even bother looking at it.
“She’s never getting what she wants,” I say firmly, meeting Kamden’s gaze. “She thinks she can worm her way back into our lives, but that’s never gonna happen. I told her already—if this baby is mine, I’ll step up, but that’s it. She doesn’t get me. She doesn’t get my brothers. And she sure as hell isn’t moving in with us.”
Kamden smirks slightly at that. “Damn right she’s not. She’s delusional.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
Kam claps a hand on my shoulder, squeezing briefly. “We’ve got your back, man. Whatever happens, you’re not dealing with it alone.”
I nod, appreciating the reassurance. Because no matter how much Sarah tries to drag me down, no matter how heavy the weight of all this bullshit gets, I have my brothers.